The second National Survey on Women’s Health and Life Experience funded by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam was launched at a workshop in Hanoi on January 25.

The workshop was jointly held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), General of Statistics Office under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The second national survey on violence against women in Vietnam will be conducted by the General Statistics Office (GSO). It is intended to provide data for the investigation of domestic violence and to find solutions to the issue.  

The survey will be carried out by the GSO from March 2018. Meanwhile, MoLISA will be responsible for coordinating the process, publishing the survey’s results in 2019 and building national programmes and policies on violence against Vietnamese women and girls.

Violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights, not only causing serious consequences for individuals but also restrain the country's socio-economic development.

According to the first national survey on violence against women conducted in 2010 by GSO, 58 percent of married Vietnamese women, aged from 18 to 60, experienced violence at least once in their lives. However, 87 percent of domestic violence victims did not seek the assistance of public services. The survey suggested that violence against Vietnamese women was an alarming issue.

Speaking at the event, Pham Ngoc Tien, head of Department of Gender Equality under MoLISA, stressed upon the significance of surveys and data in consolidation with the legal system to offer appropriate policies and solutions on women’s issues.

Vietnam has witnessed significant improvements in archiving targets towards gender equality. The national legal framework for gender equality has also improved markedly. However, violence against women and girls remains high and has not been resolved effectively. - VNA